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Game: Monster Hunter Rise
Release Date: March 26, 2021
System: Nintendo Switch
Genre: Action RPG
Developed by: Capcom
Published by:  Capcom
Written by: Terry M
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Monster Hunter Rise is the newest upcoming game in the Monster Hunter franchise. The Rise in the title refers to the vertical-like nature of the environments. As a long time fan of the franchise, I watched the trailer ten times. Yasunori Ichinose is back as Director of Monster Hunter Rise. Yasunori Ichinose also directed Monster Hunter Portable, Monster Hunter Portable 2, Monster Hunter Portable 2G, and Monster Hunter Portable 3rd.

The first thing observed in the trailer was a Palamute racing through the shrine ruins and up a cliff to join a hunter. Palamutes are a new hunting partner option in Monster Hunter Rise. They can be used to traverse the map and as an ally in battle. Palamutes can aid you in battle by providing another source of damage. Palicos will be more support oriented in Monster Hunter Rise.

Hunters can use either two Palicos, two Palamutes, or a combination of the two. Each hunter can have one partner for multiplayer hunts. Palamutes and Palicos can use both armor and weapons. I think that I personally will probably use one of each when Monster Hunter Rise releases. The release date of Monster Hunter Rise is March 26, 2021.

Monster Hunter Rise features seamless maps with no load times. Seamless maps are a feature that has come from Monster Hunter World. Hunters carry Wirebugs to help them traverse the map and even have an impact on the combat. Each weapon has unique techniques that combine the strength of the weapon with the versatility of the Wirebug.

The trailer showed four new monsters, which are Aknosom, Great Izuchi, Magnamalo, and Tetranadon. Aknosom is a bird wyvern that looks like a Crane and a Kasa-obake. Great Izuchi is also a bird wyvern, but it looks like a raptor and a kamaitachi. Great Izuchi battles with its pack.

Tetranadon is my favorite new monster. Tetranadon is an amphibian monster who looks like a platypus and a kappa. Tetranadon was in a turf war with Arzuros. Magnamalo is a fanged wyvern that looks like a tiger with a spike on its’ tail. Magnamalo is the flagship monster of Monster Hunter Rise and is on the cover of the game.

Arzuros is a returning monster, but it wasn’t the only one shown in the trailer. Tobi-Kadachi is an electric squirrel fanged wyvern. Magnamalo was shown biting Tobi-Kadachi and Rathalos. I noticed Nerscylla or a subspecies of such in the trailer, but it’s only shown briefly. I suspect that this is a fire or blast element subspecies.

The base of operations in Monster Hunter Rise is Kamura Village. Kamura Village is a serene mountain town know for its Tatara Steel. This town seems to have twin guild sweethearts. Voice acting is present in Monster Hunter Rise for the first time in the series. Kamura Village looks to be a similar size to Seliana.

The first map we are introduced to is the Shrine Ruins. I have a theory about why this map looks deserted and decrepit. The Shrine ruins used to be full of life, but it was abandoned because of the calamity 50 years prior. This sounds similar to The Night Parade of a Hundred Demons from Japanese Mythology. I made this connection when I watched the Japanese trailer.

The collector’s edition includes an amiibo and Monster Hunter Rise. Monster Hunter Rise will have three Amiibos in total. The Tokyo Game Show will reveal more news later this week. Monster Hunter Rise will be exclusive to the Nintendo Switch. The portable aspect of the Switch works so well with Monster Hunter’s theme of teamwork and cooperation. You can play with your friends in person or at home with Monster Hunter Rise, which adds a layer of nostalgia for the hunters who played the portable games previously.